Thread: Development work underway for 2015 Land Rover Freelander

Chassis testing marks beginning of the project to replace Freelander 2 with an all-new model. Land Rover engineers have started work on the new Freelander 3, as these spy shots of the Evoque-based mule show. The longer wheelbase and increased ride height reveal this as an early engineering prototype, probably being used to test new suspension components and suspension geometry.
The Freelander is currently the Land Rover marque's best-selling model. It was launched in its current form in 2006 and given a mild makeover for 2013. The third-gen model is expected to go on sale in early 2015. It promises to be a significant step forward from the current Freelander, offering greater wading depth, better interior packaging and improved boot space.
The new Freelander is based on the same LR-MS platform as the Evoque. It was developed from the Ford EUCD platform that underpins the current Freelander, although Land Rover says 90 per cent of the parts are new.
The Freelander 3s wheelbase is expected to be more than 150mm longer than the Evoques and is expected to open the way for a seven-seat version. It will be fitted with JLRs all-new, super-frugal Hotfire four-cylinder engines, which will be built at a new plant near Wolverhampton.
The new Freelander is expected to be made from a mixture of materials, with nearly all of the platform and upper body made from high-strength steel. The roof and bonnet will be aluminium and the front wings and tailgate are likely to be made from composites.
The entry-level, front-wheel-drive Freelander 3 is expected to have a CO2 rating of as little as 119g/km.